


The Testing of Women

by HYPERFocused



Category: Original Work
Genre: Poetry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-12
Updated: 2015-04-12
Packaged: 2018-03-17 14:16:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3532412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HYPERFocused/pseuds/HYPERFocused
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>--1995. Written after reading a report on the extreme under use of women in medical testing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Testing of Women

The Testing of Women

The testing of women is every day  
except where it counts  
in our innermost hearts  
and other private -- female -- parts.

If you are a woman, you know  
what it means to be tested  
by various methods  
except the scientific.

The fist in your face  
the cries of your children  
are tests of endurance  
and often of faith.

We are tested in magazine quizzes  
like "Can You Keep Your Man?  
Twenty Easy Questions.  
See if you're a Lover  
or a Loser."

They've made us take our lumps  
explained away our pain  
as "emotional problems"  
or "that time of the month"  
which apparently is always  
except when we're pregnant  
or had our parts cut out.

The only tests we never take  
are proctored by doctors  
and lab technicians  
and given instead  
to white, male, rats  
some of whom are human.


End file.
